RPAGF Chapter 43 Madam Wang: This is too much!
Chapter 43 Madam Wang: This is too much!
Xishan was a summer resort for royalty and high-ranking officials, as well as a popular place for offering incense and praying for blessings. Many of the villas were built next to temples.
The Rongguo Mansion also had a villa in the Western Hills. At the invitation of her sister-in-law, Lady Wang brought her son to offer incense and pray for blessings, as well as to escape the summer heat.
The temples in this area often receive female relatives from wealthy families, and specially set up quiet tea rooms and private rooms for the female relatives to drink tea, rest, and chat after offering incense.
In the private room, Madam Wang put down her teacup, casually picked up the Buddhist prayer beads on the tea table and twirled them, then smiled and said to Madam Wang Ziteng beside her, "If you hadn't sent Wang Li to deliver the invitation, I was originally planning to find an excuse to come out and go back tomorrow."
"What do you mean?" asked Madam Wang Ziteng.
"Tomorrow, the East Mansion is hosting a banquet to entertain the Lin family. I will definitely have to go and pay my respects to the old lady then, and I really don't want to see the Lin family."
Lady Wang looked disdainful. "How dare a mere sixth-rank official step into the Duke's mansion? It's one thing for those two scoundrels, Jia Zhen and Jia Lian, to cause trouble, but the master has to get involved too. He's getting more and more confused as he gets older."
Lady Wang Ziteng smiled inwardly. What Duke's Mansion? It was nothing but an empty shell.
Lady Wang leaned back in her chair: "What has Uncle Baoyu been busy with lately?"
Lady Wang Ziteng's face darkened: "What else could it be? You're constantly being harassed by those filthy soldiers. Your brother has been reprimanded by the Emperor several times because of this."
At this point, her anger surged, and she said indignantly, "In the end, it's all your old lady's fault! If she had been willing to step in and communicate with the other families, how could your brother have been unable to seize control of the Beijing garrison? She talks about family and relationships all the time, but when it really comes down to it, she won't offer a single bit of help. What kind of relative is she!"
Lady Wang's expression was also rather unpleasant; she lowered her head and remained silent. She thought to herself, if you hadn't betrayed the deposed crown prince without a word, the Jia family wouldn't have ended up like this. And you still have the nerve to ask the Jia family to help you secure your position as the military governor of the capital... If it were her, she knew she wouldn't have been able to bring herself to ask.
Realizing her slip of the tongue, Madam Wang Ziteng quickly changed the subject: "How is the marriage alliance between the Zhen family and the Prince of Beijing's mansion progressing?"
Madam Wang looked up at her and said, "These two families are old relatives of the Jia family who have been on good terms for generations. They only recognize the old lady and will not help the Wang family based on a single letter."
Having her thoughts exposed, Lady Wang Ziteng felt embarrassed. She took a sip of tea before smiling and saying, "I'm just worried about your brother. There are rumors that the Emperor intends to give Prince Bei Jing a high position. If you can get his help and get him to say a few good words for you to the Emperor, your brother's position will be secure."
Madam Wang remained silent and slowly turned the prayer beads.
A flicker of displeasure crossed her eyes, but Lady Wang Ziteng quickly put on a smile again: "If it's inconvenient, then forget it. By the way, the Ministry of War is now under the control of the Duke of Cheng'en. A new official should pay his respects upon taking office. He is the Emperor's brother-in-law; ordinary things are beneath his notice..."
Madam Wang interrupted her directly: "How much more is needed?"
Lady Wang Ziteng held up one finger: "Not much, ten thousand taels will do."
Madam Wang paused abruptly as she twirled the prayer beads in her hand. After a moment of silence, she nodded.
Madam Wang Ziteng was surprised that Madam Wang agreed so readily, and she immediately regretted it, thinking that she should have asked for more.
"I heard that the old lady wrote another letter to the south," said Madam Wang.
"A marriage between close relatives?"
"I don't know, but we need to be careful."
Lady Wang slowly twirled the prayer beads between her fingers, saying, "Baoyu was born with a blessed destiny, so he cannot marry a sickly woman who will be a burden to him for life."
Blessed with abundant fortune?
Madam Wang Ziteng curled her lip, inwardly showing great disdain.
Lady Wang was silent for a moment: "Send the Xue family to the capital."
"The Xue family?" Madam Wang Ziteng was slightly taken aback.
Madam Wang: "Bao'er is thirteen years old this year."
Lady Wang Ziteng's eyes flickered: "Wasn't it said that Bao'er was going to enter the palace for the imperial concubine selection?"
Lady Wang twirled her prayer beads: "Young lady, your family background must be impeccable."
Madam Wang Ziteng was puzzled: "The Xue family are imperial merchants, so their family background is naturally clean..." As she spoke, she suddenly realized what she meant and looked at Madam Wang in surprise.
Madam Wang observed this and said calmly, "The Xue family's assets and wealth should rightfully be used by the Wang family."
Lady Wang Ziteng swallowed hard and tentatively asked, "Your brother...?"
Madam Wang glanced at her indifferently, and Madam Wang Ziteng instantly felt a chill run down her spine. What a pair of ruthless siblings! In order to seize the Xue family's wealth, they actually schemed against their own sister!
Madam Wang Ziteng picked up her teacup and took several sips to suppress her inner turmoil, then asked, "Have you really taken a liking to Bao'er?"
Madam Wang did not answer, but slowly picked up her teacup.
They were all cunning foxes, and Madam Wang Ziteng immediately understood that they wanted to use Bao Yatou as a pawn to challenge the old lady.
The daughter of a merchant family, dreaming of marrying into a noble family as their principal wife, is delusional.
Each lost in their own thoughts, the only sound in the room was the sipping of tea.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came, and the door was slammed open with a loud bang.
Zhou Rui's wife burst in, sweating profusely, shouting, "Something terrible has happened! Master Bao has been beaten!"
Madam Wang hurriedly stood up: "What?"
Lady Wang Ziteng also stood up: "What happened? Wang Li didn't come along?"
Zhou Rui's wife gasped for breath: "The eldest young master was protecting the second young master, but he was also beaten."
Madam Wang's eyes blazed with fury: "In broad daylight, is there no law?! Go to the mountain gate and call for reinforcements, kill them all!"
Wang Ziteng's wife quickly pressed, "Who is so bold as to do this?"
Zhou Ruijia's voice trembled: "People from the Northern Garrison Command."
Like a hen with its neck being choked, Madam Wang opened her mouth but didn't make a sound, and the room instantly fell silent.
After a long pause, Madam Wang finally spoke up, exasperated: "What right did they have to hit people?"
Wang Ziteng's wife was also looking at Zhou Rui's wife.
Zhou Rui's wife swallowed hard. "The men from the Northern Garrison suddenly burst into the temple, and in the chaos, they pushed a young woman to the ground... Young Master Bao, being kind-hearted, stepped forward to help her up, scolded the men from the Northern Garrison, and received two slaps in return. The eldest young master stepped forward to identify himself and also received a slap."
"Let's go take a look." Just as Lady Wang Ziteng picked up the veiled hat from the table, a loud shout came from outside: "The Northern Garrison is conducting an investigation. Everyone must remain inside and not move. Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"
"This is outrageous!"
Madam Wang was so angry that her eyes turned red. She slammed the prayer beads onto the ground, scattering them everywhere.
......................
On the open ground in front of the main hall, Liu Feng was sizing up the legendary Divine Attendant.
Liu Feng did not recognize Jia Baoyu, but he did recognize Wang Li.
Wang Li shielded him behind him, the servant called him "Second Master Bao", and with his flamboyant bright red clothes, big face, and effeminate air, it must be this guy!
I must say, this guy is actually quite good-looking. Those eyes, that nose, that face...
Liu Feng almost burst out laughing. Two bright red handprints were imprinted on his fair face, perfectly even in depth.
Professional matters really should be handled by professionals; I'll definitely reward the person who helped out handsomely.
Wang Li had recognized Liu Feng long ago, but because he was worried that this matter would implicate the Wang family, he pretended not to know him and planned to cover it up.
Zhang Laifu walked over quickly and whispered, "Sir, we've caught him. He's in the meditation room."
Liu Feng nodded slightly, glanced at Da Lianbao, and said to Xiao Qi beside him, "Don't make things difficult for the child, let him go." After saying that, he turned and walked towards the meditation room.
Upon hearing this, Wang Li felt relieved and waved his hand in front of Jia Baoyu's eyes, calling out, "Baoyu..."
Jia Baoyu stared blankly at her: "Is the young lady alright?"
Wang Li was so angry he almost twisted his nose. The girl had already been picked up by her family, yet he kept calling her "girl."
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he raised his hand and slapped her.
Jia Baoyu cried out "Ouch!" and came to his senses, covering his face and crying out in pain, tears welling up in his eyes.
Wang Li didn't have time to pay attention to him and dragged him towards the private room in the backyard...